1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to painting masks and similar disposable covers, and more particularly to a switch box cover of molded construction and formed as a thin sheet with a depressed portion having a conformation that allows the cover to mask an empty switch box bay or a bay having a switch mounted therein. The invention further is related to the field of strip mounted units that are manually separable from the strip as one or more connected units.
2. Description of Related Art
The following art defines the present state of this field and each disclosure is hereby incorporated herein by reference:
De Smidt, U.S. Des. Pat. No. 212,093 discloses a design for an enclosure cover for an electric switch.
Larsson, U.S. Des. Pat. No. 286,739 discloses a design for a protective cover for low voltage equipment.
Hubbel, Jr., U.S. Pat. No. 3,061,083 discloses a protective covering for the open side of a wall box in a house wiring system in which an electric fixture has been mounted, said covering comprising a pair of laterally spaced side panels and an intermediate panel connected to the side panels by folded longitudinal edges, and an upwardly and inwardly extending tuck-in panel at the free edge of each of the side panels connected thereto by longitudinal folded edges and adapted to be inserted with their connected side panels in the wall box through the open front side thereof between the sides of the wall box and the fixture with the intermediate panel covering the front side of the fixture, and the tuck-in panels cooperating with the fixture to retain the intermediate panel in position over the fixture.
Cupepper, U.S. Pat. No. 3,601,276 discloses a removable protective cover for an electrical receptacle box or switch box in a building wall to protect the box against entry of plaster during plastering of the building wall, wherein the cover is formed as an integral body of deformable sheet material having a rectangular panel portion for covering the front opening of the box with its lateral edges fitting within the opening, and including extensions which cover the conventional mounting ears of the receptacle box and have bendable fastening means for fastening the cover to such mounting ears.
Maus et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,063,872 discloses a device for protecting a fixture during treatment of the surface on which the fixture is mounted. The fixture itself includes internal elements mounted behind the surface and at least one surface element which is exposed at the surface. The fixture also would normally include a fixture cover mounted on the fixture to cover the internal elements of the fixture and to cover a portion of the surface around the periphery of the fixture, while permitting the surface elements of the fixture to be exposed. In order to protect such a fixture, a protective cover is provided for temporarily replacing the fixture cover during the treatment of the surface. The protective cover includes a portion to cover the internal elements of the fixture to protect them from the surface treatment and a portion to cover the surface elements of the fixture to also protect them from the surface treatment. In addition, an arrangement is provided for securing the protective cover to a predetermined element of the fixture by frictionally fitting said cover to said element. As a preferred embodiment of this, the arrangement for securing the protective cover includes an arrangement for frictionally fitting the cover to one of the surface elements.
Burke, U.S. Pat. No. 5,301,437 discloses a utility box insert for protecting the contents of the utility box during the installation of wallboard. The insert includes a base plate dimensioned to fit within the interior of a utility box, sidewalls extending upwardly from the sides of the plate, fastening tabs extending upwardly from the ends of the plate in order to hook over the edge of the utility box, and cut-outs cooperating with said fastening tabs in order to accommodate for mounting ears located on the utility box.
Bordwell et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,710,392 discloses an improved electrical outlet box assembly includes an outlet box and a cover. The outlet box includes a bottom wall and a sidewall perimetrically bounding the bottom wall and an open upper end. The sidewall supports a pair of diametrically opposed ear lugs. Each ear lug has a pair of ears integrally formed therewith extending inwardly into the interior of the box. The ears secure a fastening element. The cover is removably frictionally engagable with the box and provides a closure for the open upper end of the box. The cover includes a generally planar surface with a pair of diametrically opposed dome-shaped protrusions extending from the top surface of the cover. The protrusions are positioned on the cover such that they align with the ears and accommodate the fastening elements therein. The cover further includes a pair of locking members extending from the bottom surface of the cover and which are frictionally engagable with the ears thereby holding the cover onto the outlet box.
Compagnone, Jr., U.S. Pat. No. 0,157,851 discloses a temporary protective cover for an electrical box having an open front end which includes in one embodiment a plate shaped to enclose the open front end and a pair of wings formed onto the plate for securing the cover onto the electrical box. A line of weakness extends across the rear surface of the plate from the right side edge to the left side edge. A plurality of posts are formed onto the rear surface of the plate and serve to limit movement of the cover when mounted onto the electrical box. The pair of wings are spaced adequately in from the left and right side edges of the plate and extend rearwardly from the rear surface of the plate at an angle away from one another. Each wing is shaped to include a flexible leg and an enlarged foot, the foot including a tapered guiding surface and a substantially flat engagement surface.
Shaffer et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,538,202 discloses a cover for an electrical outlet box which eliminates the step of cleaning mud, dust, and paint from within the electrical outlet box and from on the made up wires within the electrical outlet box. The cover has a frontal opening, a sidewall surrounding the frontal opening, and opposite screw openings, comprising: a front side portion, a rear side portion, and a peripheral edge portion dimensioned to cover the frontal opening; and, two pegs which extend rearwardly from the rear side portion of the cover, positioned and sized to matingly seat within the screw openings so that the cover may be held over the central opening. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the cover further includes an inwardly recessed central portion, said central portion having an outwardly extending rib so that the cover may be pulled forwardly off the outlet box thereby. The recessed central portion has a rearwardly extending sidewall, opposite portions of which are sized to fit tightly within the interior frontal opening of the electrical outlet box so that the cover may be positioned and secured over the frontal opening thereby.
Skakun, U.S. Pat. No. 0,056,968 discloses embodiments of an invention having a rim, a deck and a raised portion on the deck to accommodate switch levers and television cable connectors. The rim fits closely around the perimeter of a cover plate and switch or outlet being shielded. The deck is generally parallel to the surface of the cover. Adhesive is applied to areas of the under surface of the deck which overlie the relatively smooth end areas of the cover plate. The shield has flexibility allowing for deflection under finger pressure to bring the adhesives into contact with the cover plate to securely attache the shield to the cover plate. Our prior art search with abstracts described above teaches masking covers of various types including molded or formed covers for switch boxes and the like. However, the prior art fails to teach such a cover configured for alternative frictional mounting onto the face of a switch box, onto the sides of a switch already mounted in the switch box, or onto a bat of a such a switch. The prior art also fails to teach the use of joined covers that may be separated into sets of one, two or more to cover switch boxes capable of accepting plural switches.
The present invention fulfills these needs and provides further related advantages as described in the following summary.